The present invention relates to an electric cautery used with an endoscope.
In an endoscopic surgery, the electric cautery is used to stop bleeding after treatment or the like. A conventional electric cautery includes a probe that is inserted into a human body cavity through a channel of an endoscope. An operator urges the probe to a surface of the human body cavity, and then applies a high-frequency voltage to the prove thereby to heat the surface of the human body cavity.
However, since the probe is inserted through the channel of the endoscope, the probe should be smaller than the inner diameter of the channel. Thus, it is not possible to cauterize a large area at a time.
In order to cauterize a large area at a time, another type of electric cautery is developed. The electric cautery of this type has a balloon and a microwave generator provided in the balloon. Initially, the balloon is shrunk so that the balloon can be inserted into the human body cavity through the endoscope. After the balloon is inserted into the human body cavity, the operator expands the balloon so that an outer surface of the balloon abuts the surface of the human body cavity, and then turns on the microwave generator so that microwaves irradiate the surface of the human body cavity. However, in such a balloon-type electric cautery, an operation of expanding the balloon is complicated.
Accordingly, an electric cautery capable of cauterizing a large area and which can be operated in a simple manner is desired.
There is still another type of electric cautery used to cauterize a relatively small area. The electric cautery of this type includes a biopsy forceps. The biopsy forceps has a pair of cups which grip the surface of the human body cavity therebetween. An operator manipulates the biopsy forceps to grip the surface of the human body cavity, and then applies a high-frequency voltage to the biopsy forceps to cauterize the surface gripped by the biopsy forceps. However, in such an electric cautery, an operation for accurately griping a surface of the human body cavity with the biopsy forceps is not easy.
Accordingly, an electric cautery for cauterizing a small area which can be operated in a simple manner is desired.